Wrist supported signal light



Sept. 3, 1957 s. SCHWARTZ 2,805,326

WRIST SUPPORTED SIGNAL. LIGHT Filed Nov. 22, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 L'IIIIIII/ IN V EN TOR. SID/Y6) \SC/M/A/P Z Sept. 3, 1957 5 SCHWARTZ 2,805,326

WRIST SUPPORTED SIGNAL LIGHT "ill, 'Hlh 151 -8 INVEN TOR.

United States WRIST SUPPGRTED SIGNAL LIGHT Sidney Schwartz, New York, N. Y., assignor to Bantam- Lite, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporahon of New York This invention relates to portable electrically lighted devices and more particularly is directed to a wrist carrying flashlight of improved construction which may incorporate a manual selector portion for changing the projected light beam color to be used for signaling or as an attractive illumination toy embellishment to create increased interest in childrens play.

Among the objects of the invention is the provision of an improved flashlight construction of the character described comprising few and simpleparts which are easily assembled to form a reliable and'dependable electrically lighted changeable color beam flashlight capable of withstanding rough handling and use, which shall be small and compact so that it can be readily comfortably carried on the wrist of the wearer of an adult or child, which shall be of the most desirable over-all dimensions for use-as a portable changeable color beam signal flashlight, which shall be neat and attractive in appearance, which shall be as convenient as a conventional wrist watch to handle and operate, which shall be constructed to facilitate maintenance and replacement of parts to a degree requiring unskilled service, which flashlight construction may incorporate a simplified signaling means, which shall be relatively cheap to manufacture and adaptable for quantity production and which shall be practical and eincient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists of features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter disclosed, the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims following. a

In the accompanying drawing in which various illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown:

Figs. 1 and 2 are perspective views showing the top, front and near sides and the bottom, rear and far sides, respectively, of an improved wrist carrying flashlight incorporating a changeable color light beam signaling portion constructed to embody the invention.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the improved wrist carrying flashlight shown in Figs; 1 and 2 with bottom base closure or undercap removedto expose the interior construction of'the casing and assembly of parts.

Figs. 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views taken on lines 44 and 55 in Figs. 3 and 4, respectively, showing details of the assembly and arrangement in the casing of the battery, lamp, bulb, current carrying jumpers, switch connection and base closure fastening of the casing.

Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are fragmentary cross-sectional views taken on lines 66, 77, 8-8 and 99 in Figs. 4, 3, 5 and 3, respectively, showing structuraldetails of the lamp support, the switch in off circuit position, current carrying jumper support and color filter screen slidable mounting, respectively.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 10-40 in Fig. 1 showing finger piece of the slidable color screen motmted to ride over the top side of the casing, and a atent G Patented Sept. 3, 1957 Figs. 11, 12 and 13 are enlarged perspective views showing the color screen with the finger piece, the battery to lamp current carrying spring jumper and the lamp to switch current carrying spring jumper, respectively, removed fiom the assembly.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 20 denotes a wrist carrying flashlight incorporating a selector portion to manually change the projecting light beam as and for the purpose described to embody the invention.

Said wrist carrying flashlight 20 may comprise a suitable outer casing 21, here shown as being a one-piece molded plastic box 21a formed with a bottom open side. Said box 21a normally is fitted in a reverse upstanding position with said open side against a base closure or undercap 21b and may be secured in closed position by any suitable fastening means, as for example, by screw 21c passing through the base closure 21b countersunk to engage head 21d of screw 210. A threaded end 21a of the latter is removably secured in a boss 21 integrally formed to extend down from upfacing wall 21g of casing 21, as is clear from Figs. 3 and 4. i

In said box 21a, there may be assembled a standard electric dry cell battery 22 of the short miniature type, a double contact incandescent lamp 23 and a suitable switch button 24. for making and breaking a portion of the circuit passing from one terminal 22:: of the battery 22, shown in Fig. 3 as the carbon electrode, to switch contact end 25a of a current carrying spring'jumper 25. The other contact end 25b of said jumper 25 is constructed and arranged to spring press against ferrule lamp' base contact 23a of lamp 23. There is also provided as part of the circuit a current carrying spring jumper 26 which pressure connects the other end terminal 22b of battery 22, here shown as the zinc electrode, with center contact 23b of lamp 23.

Battery carbon electrode terminal 22a may be positioned in the assembly as shown in Fig. 3 so that the axis length of lamp 23 extends in a relatively right angular relation with respect to the length of cell 22 adjacent a mid-portion of the latter, said battery terminal 22a projecting to close the circuit through spring jumper contact end 25a when flexed from fullline position, open circuit, todotted line circuit energizing position on pressing control switch button 24.

The assembly of the battery cell 22, lamp 23 and switch 24 with the interconnecting jumpers 25 and 26 mounted in casing 21, as above described, and having a suitable wrist band or'strap 36 engaging base box closure 21b in the manner shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5, provide an arrangement contributing to features of the invention for use particularly in wrist borne flashlight 20.

As is clear from Fig. 4, battery cell 22, lamp 23, switch 24, spring jumpers 25 and 26 form a circuit con-' struction of removable and replaceable parts. Cell 22 may be retained in operative position by suitably spaced apart abutment ledges 27 and 28 and an angle ledge 29 aligning therewith and spaced from ledge 27 a distance to permit fitting cell 22 therebetween with the battery carbon electrode 22a extending therebeyond toward switch contact end 25a. Oppositely positioned with respect to ledge. 28 and spaced from angle ledge 29, there may be provided an H-shaped ledge 30 which, with ,a mid-portion 26a of jumper 26 mounted thereagainst, aligns with said ledge 29. Another H-shaped ledge 31 similar to ledge 30 may be provided for mounting a midportion 250 of jumper25 spaced from angle ledge 29 and H-shaped'ledge 30. Said ledges 27, 28,29, 30 and- 31 may be integrally formed to extend from the inner surface of easing box upfacing wall 21g. 7

As seen from Figs. '3 and 4, incandescent lamp 23, which may be of the standard miniature. flashlight type having a lenstipped bulb.23 c, beside the base ferrule contact 23b, is retained in said right angular position with respect to cell 22 between short and relatively long L- shaped spaced apart ledges 32 and 33, respectively, which may be integrally formed to extend down from the'inner surface of said upfacing-Wall 21g. Said ledges 32" and 33 form a stall therebetween into which'said lamp 23 'fits'with the lens tipped bulb Z3c extending therebeyond to give maximum spring contacting pressure and to fa-- cilitate servicing and maintenance. A contact end 26c bent at right angles from said jumper mid-portion 2 6a opposite said-end 26b may be provided disposed to electrically connect with the battery zinc terminal as at 22b,

said contact end 260 having a punched tongue portion 26c bent therefrom to serve as a scraping means made effective on pressing the switch button '24 when energizing the circuit in the manner hereinafter described.

For'retaining said jumpers 25 and 26 in proper operating position in the assembly, the mid-portion 25c and 26a, respectively, of said jumpers 25 and 26, may be formed with spring clip portions 25d and 26d, respectively. Said spring clip portions, as is clear from Figs. 3, 5, 12 and 13, form attachment means which securely anchor said jumper mid-portions 25c and 26a to H-shaped ledges 31 and 30, respectively. 7

Where means for changing the projected light'beam color is incorporated in the construction of flashlight 20, a suitable strip light filter screen 34 may be provided as here'shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10 and 11, and when casing 21 is circular in cross section, said filter screen 34 may be made to have an elongated arcuate shape formed with a series of'transparent colored and clear sections, as for example, red, colorless or an opening, and blue sections 34a, 34b and 340, respectively, Said filter screen 34 may be mounted for sliding movement infconcentric relation in close proximity with said box side wall 21k.

'To direct filter screen 34 in sliding movement in a circular path, there may be provided guide abutment ledges 35 spaced apart and integrally formed to extend down from the inner surface of said upfacing wall 21g. And for shifting the filter screen 34 when selectively changing the color of the light beam from lamp 23 projected through casing box opening 21h, said screen 34 may be formed with an edge extension portion 34d'which passes through an elongated arcuate slot 2'1j provided in the upfacing wall 21g of easing box 21a. Said extension portion 34d terminates in a finger piece 34s on the exterior side of said wall 21g, as is clear from Figs. 1, 1O and'll. It is to be noted that when filter screen 34 has two colored filter sections separated by a clear section, finger piece 342 for simplicity of flashlight operation may be positioned along the slot 21j in the region of switch pushbutton 24, the latter extending through an opening 21s inthe curved side wall 21k and in order that the'inner actuating head .end 24a of switchpush-button 24 be kept free frominterference in movement thereof-to flex jumpbe cut away or slotted at 34 for a length thereof as required and as is clear from Figs. 7, l0 and 11.

Bandorstrap 36 may be of any conventionalmake saidpassageway through spaced apart aligning slots 21n er end 25a when closing the circuit, filter screen 34 may 7 a formed along opposite edges of said mid-portion 21m, as is clear from Figs. 2, 4 and 5.

For seating the casing box 21a in said reverse upstanding position on base closure 21b, said exterior wall of the latter may be made with an integral edge flange 21p within which the box side wall 21k neatly fits. a

To facilitate ready assembly of the parts of flashlight 20 and to provide a construction that lends itself to form aesthetic appealing designs that are attractive, exterior side of casing upfacing wall 21g may be made with a trim element 21g which may project down to extend along the box side wall 21k and replace portion of flange 21p to form a reflector frame 21;- about said Wall opening 21h wherethrough light beams are projected from lamp 23.

The practical utility of the invention will now be apparent. After providing the various parts as hereinbefore described and shown in the drawings, the casing box 21a through said open bottom side thereof may be readily assembled with those parts housed therein as shown in Fig. 3 by first'inserting head 24a of switch button 24 to extend freely through filter screen slot 34 Filter screen 34 may then be positioned in casing box 21a so that extension 34 1 extends through slot 21 and switch button 24 is seated in opening 21s. As is clear from Figs. 3 and 7, opening 21s is in the form of a slot having an open end extending through the edge of side wall 21k. Finger piece'34e may now be aflixed to. terminate said edge extension 34d so that said finger piece 34a canbe operated from the exterior side of wall 21g,

the portion of filter screen 34 carrying colored and clear sections being positioned to slide between spaced apart guide abutment ledges 35 and circular side wall 21k.

Next, the current carrying jumpers 25 and 26 may be mounted in operative position by anchoring spring clip portions 25d and 26d, respectively, on H-shaped ledges 31 and 30. With said jumpers 25 and 26 secured in place, lamp 23 may then be slipped in the stall formed by said ledges 32 and 33 with the lens tipped bulb 23c facing said wall opening 21h and with ferrule and center contacts 23a and 23b, respectively, being electrically connected in circuit with jumper ends 25b and 26b,'respectively. The battery cell 22 may also he slipped in position ready to energize the circuit on pressing the'switch button 24 by inserting said cell 22 so as to be confined between said ledges 27, 28, 29 and jumper end 260 which electrically contacts the battery terminal zinc electrode 22b. The carbon electrode battery terminal 22a will then be in a normal 0 circuit switching position in close proximitybut not contacting jumper end 25a. All parts thus assembled'will be mounted and connected in circuit as shown in Fig. 31 V i Base closure 2112 may then 'be fitted with said strap or. band 36 by threading the latter into the passageway behind said wall mid-portion 21m and through said edge slots 21n. Base closure 21b is then fitted as an undercover for casing box 21a 'and'retains all partsin operative position in the latter. Edge flange 21p, as seen in Fig.7, is effective to close the open end of slot opening 213 for retaining switch button 24in operative position, button head 24a being enlarged along a diameter thereof .to prevent passage through opening 215, as is clear from Fig. 3. 7

Finally, fastener screw 210" is inserted to engage boss 211 to retain the assembly together as a complete flashlight 2 6. By 'simplyrem'oving screw 21c and dismounting bas'e closure 21b, the entire contents of the casing box 21a is fully exposed for servicing and maintenance.

The completed flashlight 20 may be supported and secured by means of the band 36 and buckle 36a and, as is 7 clear from Figsfl and 2, when wrist borne, c'ar1 readily be directed for space illumination ors'ignalingby' simply pressingswitch button 24 to close the circuit byflexing jumper end 25a to contact the battery carbon terminal 22a. It'sho'uld be noted that pressure contact exterted on closing the circuit depresses jumper end 25a and tends to move the battery cell 22 with zinc terminal 22b thereof against the scraping tongue 26e of the jumper end 260 assuring good electrical contact thereat.

To change the color of the projecting light beam, the finger piece 342 is moved to selectively bring either red filter screen section 34a, clear 34b or blue 34c to cover casing box opening 21h and reflector frame 21r.

By positioning wall opening 21h in alignment with respect to the longitudinal plane of wrist band 36, that is, at 12 oclock, and positioning switch button 24 at 90 degrees thereto or at 3 oclock as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, flashlight 20, when worn on the left wrist, will transmit light beams normal to the wrist axis. When the left wrist bearing flashlight is held in a pronated position, the right finger may readily be used to operate switch button 24 and finger piece 34e.

It is thus seen that there is provided an improved wrist carrying signal light construction whereby the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matters herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A wrist carrying signal light of the character described comprising a molded plastic casing box, a lamp, a battery, current carrying jumpers and a switch assemled to form a circuit housed in said box, a wrist band attached to said box for mounting the signal light on the wrist of a wearer, said box including an upfacing wall and a perimetrically extending side wall, said side wall being formed with a window opening and a switch pushbutton opening spaced therefrom in operative alignment with respect to the lamp and switch, respectively, an arcuate filter screen having sections of difierent light filtering properties mounted for sliding movement within the casing to extend between said window opening and the lamp, said upfacing wall having an arcuate through-slot adjacent the switch push-button opening, and an extension of said filter screen passing through said slot, said extension terminating in a finger control to provide manual filter screen sliding movement to selectively position said different light filtering sections in alignment with said window opening.

2. The wrist carrying signal light defined in claim 1 in which said window opening is positioned in alignment with the longitudinal plane of the wrist band for transmitting light beams normal to the wrist axis.

3. A wrist carrying signal light comprising a one-piece molded plastic casing box formed with an upfacing wall having a perimetrical side wall extension and an open bottom, ledge supports extending from an undersurface of the upfacing wall mounting a lamp, a battery, current carrying jumpers and a switch in electric circuit within said box, an undercap fitted to said box forming a base closure to extend over said bottom, said side wall being formed with a window opening and a switch push-button opening spaced therefrom in operative alignment with respect to the lamp and'switch, respectively, said undercap having spaced apart slots in a mid-portion thereof providing a through-passageway, and a wrist band extending through said passageway, said window opening, lamp and through-passageway being so constructed and arranged to position said wristband for transmitting light beams normal to the wrist axis of a wearer.

4. A wrist carrying signal light comprising a one-piece molded plastic casing box formed with an upfacing wall having a perimetrical side wall extension and an open bottom, ledge supports extending from an undersurface of the upfacing wall mounting a lamp, a battery, circuit carrying jumpers and a switch in electric circuit within said box, an undercap fitted to said box forming a base closure to extend over said bottom, said side wall being formed with a window opening and a switch push-button opening spaced therefrom in operative alignment with respect to the lamp and switch, respectively, a filter screen slidably mounted over said window opening, abutment ledges extending from said undersurface of the upfacing wall for guiding the movement of said filter screen, said upfacing wall having a through-slot adjacent the switch push-button opening, and an extension of said filter screen passing through said slot providing manual control of the filter screen sliding movement.

5. The wrist carrying signal light defined in claim 4 in which said casing box and undercap are of circular shape, said battery being assembled in the box in a substantially diametric position and in alignment with the switch, and the lamp being located in a relatively radial position with respect to the battery in alignment with said window opening.

6. The wrist carrying signal light defined in claim 4 in which said filter screen is arcuate in shape and is mounted to extend between said lamp and window opening and has another portion thereof formed with an elongated longitudinal slot, said other portion extending between said push-button opening and said switch, said push-button opening having a greater effective diameter than said filter screen slot, and a push-button positioned in said opening and having a head for contacting and closing said switch, said head being enlarged along one diameter thereof to prevent passage through the push-button opening and flattened along another diameter thereof to fit and extend through said filter screen slot to contact said switch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,321,026 Freed et a1. Nov. 4, 1919 1,556,860 Lovaas Oct. 13, 1925 2,480,223 Costanzo Aug. 30, 1949 2,515,236 Kunins July 18, 1950 2,707,227 Ross Apr. 26, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 665,640 .Germany Sept. 30, 1938 

